Reebok Classics ‘Ice Pack’

Nike Sportswear and Jordan Brand both have plenty of examples of how an icey translucent outsole can add a few extra degrees of heat to an already solid design, and now Reebok looks to finally get in on a look that they’ve been conspicuous in avoiding over the past few years. Now that the manufacturing technology helps keep them from going yellow longer, just why isn’t RBK creating more ice-soled kicks like these new Reebok Workout Mids and CL lowtops? Each of these three pairs looks superb with a single-colored leather upper and white midsole, and photos of each are waiting for you below before you buy a pair from Mr. R in Miami.

Look closely on the close-up; the red shoe would appear to be plastic (the "grain" is too uniform)! If you own a pair that you presume to be leather, try to find a composition label on the inside of the shoe. If it doesn't say what it is made out of, like most interior labels do, that is because some of the shoes are going to be leather, some vinyl and some a mix. If you happen to order online and get a box that hasn't been sitting on a retail shelf, the tale-tale indicator will be a small sticker with a bar code and an even tinier print that says "manmade upper".

I have no idea why Reebok is doing this but recently I found their classic leather shoe lines in local stores that were all over the map in terms of materials. One shoebox of Classic "Leather" Princess Aerobic shoes even had a plastic shoe that was paired alongside the leather! Genuine "garment leather" dimples, crinkles and smells like a leather "skin" whereas the simulated variety has a strong odor of plastic. On similar styles as the Princess or "Ice Pack" pictured above, the "leather" shoes that are supposed to have soft toe-boxes tend to look slightly irregular or imperfect due to the natural leather characteristics (you may also see some crinkling or wavy appearance on the side). The vinyl versions, by contrast, always look 100 percent smooth and lay flat. You can scratch or tap on the toe of the shoe and the leather will also sound different than the plastic. It's not that Reebok can't make a plastic shoe but they have a legal obligation (Federal Trade Commission) "disclosure of composition" that they're not meeting when they substitute out materials at random without changing the style ID number, the web descriptions or the price to reflect those design changes. Buyer beware!